Käsespätzle

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil. At the same time, peel the onions, halve them, and slice them thinly. Grate the cheese if needed, and slice the chives.

   250 g onions160 g Allgäu Emmental, grated10 g chives, finely sliced1/2 tsp fine salt
2. 2

   For the Spätzleteig, whisk together the plain flour, eggs, whole milk, water, fine salt, and ground nutmeg in a bowl until smooth and thick. Beat vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the batter becomes elastic and forms bubbles; it should slowly fall from a spoon rather than pour like a thin pancake batter.

   180 g plain flour2 large eggs60 ml whole milk30 ml water4 g fine salt1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3. 3

   Melt the 25 g butter in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and 1 pinch salt, then cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet. Lower the heat if they color too fast; properly browned onions are essential for the characteristic flavor.

   25 g butter250 g onions1 pinch fine salt
4. 4

   Once the water is at a gentle boil, press or scrape the batter in batches through a Spätzle maker, coarse sieve, or off a board into the water. Cook each batch for 1 1/2-2 minutes; when the Spätzle float and look puffed, scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a colander to drain briefly.

   180 g plain flour2 large eggs60 ml whole milk30 ml water4 g fine salt1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
5. 5

   Melt the 15 g butter in a large pan or the empty onion pan. Add the drained Spätzle, season with 1/2 tsp fine salt and black pepper, and toss briefly. Add half the grated Allgäu Emmental and fold just until it starts to melt and coat the noodles.

   15 g butter1/2 tsp fine salt1/4 tsp black pepper160 g Allgäu Emmental, grated
6. 6

   Reduce the heat to low. Layer or fold in the remaining Allgäu Emmental and about two-thirds of the browned onions. Cover for 1 minute so the cheese melts fully without drying out.

   160 g Allgäu Emmental, grated250 g onions
7. 7

   Serve immediately, topped with the remaining browned onions and the sliced chives. Käsespätzle should be glossy, cheesy, and lightly stringy when spooned onto plates.

   250 g onions10 g chives, finely sliced

Origin & History

Käsespätzle comes from the Swabian and Allgäu regions of southern Germany, where Spätzle has been a staple for centuries. The dish developed as a hearty farmhouse meal, combining fresh egg noodles with local mountain cheeses and fried onions. It remains one of the best-known comfort foods of the region.